Smoke-free: 2014 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships in Minsk

30-04-2014

The city of Minsk, Belarus, will be the host of the next Men's World Ice Hockey Championships on 9-25 May. The agreement to make the Championships smoke-free was achieved during the meeting of Mr Mikhail Myasnikovich, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus with Ms Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Europe, in November 2013.

An action plan leading to smoke-free Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was prepared under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and in consultations with all national key stakeholders. The ban on smoking will cover all indoor and outdoor space within championship stadiums. Smoking will also be banned in cafes, bars and restaurants close to championship locations, in hotels where participants and guests will stay and in taxis in Minsk. Advertising and sale of tobacco products will be banned at match places and at fan zones, as well as at cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels situated near the sport complexes.

Special signs on the smoking ban will be placed at the championship locations. Volunteers will receive training on the smoking ban, the reasons behind it, and guidance on how to inform all participants about the ban.

The upcoming world sporting games in Belarus are yet another example of smoke-free sports and provides an excellent example to the upcoming sporting events in the Region and globally.